


Thick As Thieves

by xxpanda92xx



Category: Robin Hood (BBC 2006)
Genre: 30 Day OTP Challenge, Developing Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, POV Alternating, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-18
Updated: 2014-01-05
Packaged: 2017-12-23 21:54:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 20,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/931496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxpanda92xx/pseuds/xxpanda92xx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>30 day OTP challenge for Will and Djaq because I absolutely love them and couldn't find enough fics for them, so I wrote my own. This will span across all 3 series, but will be slightly AU-ish because I'm going to make it as angst free as possible, so some events may change. Un-beta'd, so all mistakes are my own. I know this is only 28 instead of 30 days, but I am incapable of writing smut for day 30, and I didn't know what to do for one of the other days.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day 1: Holding Hands

Will set down the piece of wood he had been carving and stretched his hands. He had been working carefully on the project for a good many hours, and his muscles were beginning to complain about the strain. He rose to stretch his long legs and coax some of the stiffness from his joints.

It was a quiet day at the camp; they had no deliveries to make, and it appeared that all carriages had taken routes that avoided Sherwood. As such, the gang had been free to do as they pleased. Much had gone to find more “chickens”, Little John and Allan were taking turns watching for carts so they could alternate turns resting, Djaq was making potions to help patch them all back together, and Robin had disappeared, probably to visit Marian. Will had chosen to use the time to try something he had been itching to attempt but never had the time.

He was pleasantly surprised when a quiet, lilting voice asked from behind him, “What is it? You’ve barely moved except for your hands!” God, how he loved that voice.

Will held it out to her. “This is just the practice model. I’ll put in more details once I’ve worked out how to go about it properly.”

“What do you mean?” Djaq inquired. “It looks like a knight. Why would you carve a knight?”

“For the boys to play with if they want. No boy is going to want to play with a girl’s doll, but what about King Richard’s brave knights fighting in the Holy Land?” He took it from her and turned it over in his hand. “I want to talk to Robin before I put too much into it, to make sure the sword and armor look right.”

Djaq laughed. “I just realized, the Sheriff will be furious, but he can’t take them away or punish them because he has to pretend he supports the King!” She looked at him and smiled, which made his heart flutter oddly. Why had it done that? “You’re clever, Will Scarlet.”

He blushed at the unexpected compliment and focused on the toy in an attempt to hide it. “Hardly. I could never make the things you do. You can produce things that can stop pain and help save the sick and dying. Wood can’t do that.”

“Do not think so little of yourself,” she admonished him. “I’m not the one who can create things whose entire purpose is to bring a young child pure happiness and joy. Tell you want, you teach me how to carve a little, and I will teach you some about plants and medicine.”

Will blushed even brighter, but his smile grew as well. “Very well.”

“Teach me how to make a doll. Right now,” she demanded, plopping down where he had been sitting. 

He chuckled. “You need to learn the basics first.” He grabbed a scrap of wood he had intended to throw in tonight’s fire. Handing it to her, he sat next to her and handed her his knife. “Easy,” Will said gently. “It’s not a weapon. It’s a tool. Hold it like this.” He took her hands in his and adjusted her grip on the handle. _Thank God I’ve done this so much it’s instinctive,_ he thought. He was aware that he was holding Djaq’s hands, and though she was one of the lads, she was also a woman. _A very pretty woman,_ he realized, _despite disguising herself as a boy._ Thankfully, she was too focused on the wood to notice his burning cheeks and the goofy smile he could not keep off his face.


	2. Day 2: Cuddling Somewhere

Djaq tried not to panic as she worked to patch Allan back together. A raid had been met with an ambush, and Allan had been wounded quite seriously. Will did what he could to help her, though his own pain and exhaustion were obvious.

All Djaq could think of was her brother, the real Djaq. He had died in battle, and she had been trying to save him, but was far too inexperienced at the time. She could not stop thinking about him and comparing Allan’s condition to his. She fought off the tears that threatened to blur her vision, but the lump in her throat and the fear remained.

Finally, they had Allan as stitched up and mended as they could. Grief overcame Djaq and she ran off, unable to stand it any longer. The others called after her, but she ignored them and continued to run. Eventually, she sank to her knees and wept. She remembered her days as Safiyah, when Djaq was truly a boy and her life had held considerably less pain. All of the memories she had worked so hard to ignore came flooding back, and all she could do was cry. 

The sound of twigs snapping and leaves crunching called her back to the present. She readied herself to fight, but a gentle voice called, “It’s only me.”

Djaq relaxed as Will Scarlet came into view. “You should not have followed me. I wanted to be alone.”

“I came to see if you were ok.”

“What, because I’m a woman?” she accused. It was irrational, but she was feeling anything but rational. She was hurting, seeking solitude so she could wait for the wounds to scab over enough that she could be around her friends again.

“No, because you were obviously upset and I’m your friend,” Will said gently.

“Thank you,” she said. His quiet presence was calming her, though she was still sad. “I’m sorry, Will.” Djaq gestured for him to sit next to her. “It’s just…seeing Allan like that… it made me think of my brother and losing him.”

“You think of Allan as your brother?”

The tears started flow again. “Yes, and I don’t know if we saved him, and….” Djaq broke down and cried again. 

Will reached over and pulled her close to hold her. She started to pull away, not wanting to be treated as weak, but the kind look in Will’s eyes stopped her. Djaq saw he was doing this because of his kind heart, not because he viewed her as inferior, and so she readjusted how she was sitting to curl up better against his chest. She allowed herself to be vulnerable, to cry for all she had lost, sitting there on those dead leaves safe in the arms of a friend.

When her weeping and grieving had subsided, Djaq felt a sense of peace she had not had in some time. “Thank you,” she whispered. He said nothing, only squeezing her tighter and rubbing her back.

Footsteps announced someone’s approach. Djaq felt Will tense around her and one hand left her back to no doubt rest on his axe. “There you are!” Robin called as he came into view. “We were worried about you! Are you ok, Djaq?” he asked more gently, surely because of the way Will was holding her.

She looked up and pulled slightly away from Will. The loss of contact made her sad in a way she did not understand. “I am sorry. I should not have run off while the rest of you still needed care.”

He shrugged. “Much and I put people back together in the Holy Land, and you’ve taught young master Will here quite well, so were able to take care of it ourselves. What happened, Djaq? Why did you lose your head?”

“It does not matter,” she replied stiffly.

“It does to me,” Robin countered. “I need to know your limits so I don’t push you too far. Not because you’re a woman,” he added upon seeing the look on her face, “but because everyone has their limits. So tell me, what was it?”

“Robin!” Will snapped. Djaq looked at him in surprise. “She’s fine now. Leave it.”

Some kind of wordless communication passed between the men that Djaq was not privy to, but Robin finally shook his head. “Well, I also came to tell you that Allan’s awake. Much is giving him water and nothing else till you get back, so come see to your patient before we drown him for complaining so much about being hungry.” With that, Robin left.

Djaq slowly untangled herself from Will, strangely reluctant to break away entirely. She brushed herself off and used her sleeve to wipe at her face. Will caught her hand and reached up, a corner of his cloak in hand, to clean her face for her. “Just so you know, I won’t tell anyone about this. And….” He paused nervously looking at the forest floor. “If Safiyah or Djaq, either one, ever need to talk, well… I’m here. Always.”

She looked at him sharply. He merely shrugged, pulled his cape so that it covered the wet patch from her tears, and walked back towards camp. She followed, deep in thought. _He remembered my name? Why? Does he see me only as Safiyah? No, he sees me as Djaq too. I know that. Then why did he say Safiyah, like she was another person? I’m still Safiyah._ However, the more Djaq considered it, the more she realized she had not been Safiyah in a long time before today. She couldn’t afford to be Safiyah now. _Then what was all that?_ she wondered, reflecting on how she had let herself be vulnerable with Will, had cried into his shirt as he held her. _Maybe I can be Safiyah again._

She caught Will’s wrist. “I think Safiyah would like that.”

Will’s eyes sparkled. “Then tell her the offer stands until she’s ready to take me up on it,” he said with a slight smirk and a little wink. They had reached the gang, so he said no more on the matter, just walked to his bunk to work more on the knight he was finishing; they were quite popular among the boys and he spent all his extra time making them. Djaq had not yet learned to make one, but she was gradually growing more talented at carving.

She saw Allan sitting up wearily. Her emotions boiled within her, and she slapped Allan hard in the face.

“I’m not bein’ funny, what was that for?” he asked, rubbing his cheek.

“I already lose one brother! You almost make me lose another!” she yelled, her English slipping in her anger and distraught. Allan still looked confused, so she explained herself more fully. “You are like a brother. I cannot lose you too. Next time, be more careful.”

As she began to take care of her friends and better treat their injuries, her mind kept slipping back to her time with Will. She remembered resting in his arms and feeling safe there. When she went to take care of him, she found that he had a deep bruise the size of a large fist on his chest where her head had been resting. The entire time she had cried there, she had been unknowingly hurting him. “Why didn’t you say anything?” she hissed as she treated one of his many cuts.

He shrugged. “Wasn’t important.”

Djaq finished working on his wounds and helped him back into his shirt. She blushed as her thoughts stayed on his shirtless torso. She had healed him before, so why was she reacting oddly now? He smiled and went back to work. She found herself looking forward to being Safiyah again if it meant sharing another moment like that with Will.


	3. Day 3: Watching a Movie (Play)

Will smiled as he watched Djaq sitting with a group of children. She was laughing happily as some of the girls asked her questions, though he could not hear what they were saying. They all thought she was a boy, but it seemed that both boys and girls loved her equally. A smile played across her lips, and Will started as the thought, _She’s beautiful,_ flitted across his mind. When he looked closer, past the bulky cut clothes and the boyish haircut, he realized that she truly was. Her dark skin and darker eyes were exotic and enticing to him, and her smile warmed his heart. _Stop thinking like that!_ he mentally reprimanded himself. _She’s one of the lads. That’s all she can ever be._

Djaq noticed him watching her and waved at him to join her. “These children have made a play, and they want us to watch it. Can you go tell the others?”

Will went and found the gang around town, inviting them as he was instructed. Many of the other villagers joined them, and so a decent crowd gathered to watch the show. Will sat down next to Djaq and smiled at her shyly. She returned his smile, then scooted closer to him so Allan could sit on her other side. “Ever seen a play, Djaq?” he asked.

“Of course!” she exclaimed indignantly. “Just because we live far does not mean we Saracens are uncivilized!”

“Easy!” Allan protested. “I just wasn’t sure if you had stopped studying long enough to enjoy yourself before.”

The play began before Djaq could reply. It was a story about a poor boy who was helped and protected by six angels who lived in the forest. Will glanced over at Djaq, curious to see how his non-Christian friend would react to being compared to an angel (for the play was obviously about them). She was smiling that beautiful smile again, looking as happy as could be. He spent the remainder of the play switching his focus from the children to her face and then back again. He was enjoying the play- the kids were so terribly cute and imaginative- but her joy was a sight he did not often have the chance to observe, and he wanted to enjoy the opportunity.

When the play ended, she leapt to her feet and applauded the children enthusiastically. The crowd dispersed, with parents saying how proud they were of their young ones, and the gang resumed distributing food and money. Will went to stand watch in case Gisborne or the Sheriff came to visit. Djaq came and stood next to him. “Did you enjoy the play?” she asked.

He nodded, not fully trusting himself to speak after watching her so much.

“After hearing all the names our good friends the Sheriff and Gisborne call us, it was nice to be called angels.”

“Makes you feel like you’re doing something good, yeah?” he said quietly. “Like we’re actually making a difference?”

Djaq pulled him around to face her. “You don’t believe we are?”

He looked away. “Every year, the laws get stricter, the taxes higher, and the people stoop lower as their burdens increase. I know what we do is important, and there isn’t much that could make me stop our work until the King returns, but some days, it’s discouraging.” Will turned away, his speech finished.

Djaq looked at him for a long time, then patted his arm and walked away. _This is why I never talk,_ he thought, watching her leave before leveling his dark stare back to the road.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A play seemed the best substitute for a movie


	4. Day 4: On a Date

At long last, they finished their deliveries. Djaq looked over to where Will was still pensively standing watch in the same spot. Poor Will. Such a heavy heart for one so young. He should be courting some girl and establishing himself in his own home, taking over his father’s business so the old man could retire. Instead, he was living in the woods, shouldering as much of England’s burdens as he could handle. 

“Robin, since we are done for the day, can I take Will to get more herbs? My stock is low.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You just did that two days ago, and we haven’t had any injuries since. What’s really going on, Djaq, with you and my young carpenter?”

Djaq blushed and cursed herself for the oversight. “There is nothing going on! But he is sad right now, and I have a plan to cheer him up, and it would work best if the others are not there to make noise.”

Robin looked at her, considering. “What happens if you two get captured? How will I know?”

“We won’t! Look, Robin, this is important. How many times would we be dead without Will? And now he is discouraged, and we need to help him. He was there for me, and now I want to be there for him.” Her cheeks flushed as she realized how she sounded.

Robin smiled the cheeky grin she had learned accompanied only teasing comments. “And how do you plan on _warming up_ our _stiff_ comrade?” he asked, his emphases making the innuendo impossible to avoid.

She kicked him in the shin. “You men are all the same,” she grumbled. Secretly, she appreciated it when he joked with her like she was one of the boys; it made her feel more like she fit in with them, despite the obvious differences.

Her leader winced. “Fine, do what you need to do. Just stay safe. If I don’t see you by tomorrow afternoon, I’m storming the castle. You know how to find us if we move camp.” He walked away, making a show of favoring his “wounded” leg until Much came running up, concerned.

Djaq smiled and walked over to Will. “Come with me,” she commanded, pleased when he followed without a word. The others were so often loud and talkative that Will’s silence was always welcome, and she had begun to seek it. She led him to a small hut and knocked on the door. “May we speak to your son?” she asked kindly, pulling her tag out on display to the woman who answered. “We enjoyed the play and wanted to talk to him about it.”

The mother smiled and ushered them inside. “This is Jeffrey,” she said, pushing a boy of about ten towards them.

“Hello Jeffrey,” said Djaq. “You were the carpenter angel in the play, right? You told me you really liked being the carpenter angel. Can you tell my friend why?” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Will sit up straighter, though his face remained shrouded in his cloak as always.

“Well,” said Jeffrey, “he’s my favorite of Robin Hood’s men ‘cause he does all sorts of stuff. He fixes things for people and makes toys for us kids, and I heard he’s an amazing fighter.” The boy’s shyness had succumbed to his excitement, causing him to grow animated in his descriptions. “All the girls love him. When I grow up, I’m going to be a carpenter and only make toys for kids. And if any soldier come to be mean, I’ll defend everyone like he does.”

“He’s been helping out the carpenter in town,” his mom said proudly. “The man says he’ll make a fine apprentice in a couple years. He’s already learned a bit about how to carve. Show them, Jeffrey.”

The boy disappeared further into the house, but shortly returned with a very rough miniature wooden dagger. Djaq could tell he had spent many hours on it, and she noticed darker spots where a skinned knuckle had stained the wood with a drop of blood. “This is great!” she said encouragingly.

He beamed with pride. “You’re one of Robin Hood’s men, right?” She nodded and held out her tag so he could see it. “Can you give this to Will Scarlet then, and thank him for us? He’s made so many of us happy.”

Djaq grinned. “He’s sitting right there. Give it to him and say thanks yourself.”

Jeffrey’s face lit up as Will pushed back his hood. Jeffrey gave him the dagger, suddenly shy again in the face of his hero. Will looked at the dagger carefully, then cleared his throat. “You’re going to be a great carpenter someday, probably even better than me,” he said quietly. “How long has this taken you?”

“He’s put at least two months into that, doin’ a little here and there whenever he has spare time,” his mom said, smiling.

Will put a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “If you keep it up, you will be known all over the world for your talent.”

Jeffrey smiled and flung his arms around Will’s waist. Djaq grinned at her comrade’s surprise and confusion. “Thank you!” the young boy cried. “Can I ask you for a favor?”

“What is it?” Will asked, kneeling down to look him in the eye.

“Can you make me another knight?”

“He gave his to his brother after one of Gisborne's men stepped on it and broke it, then threw it in the fire because it hurt his foot,” his mother said quickly. “He’s not bein’ greedy.”

Will looked at him. “And you gave yours to your brother?”

Jeffrey nodded. “He’s littler than me, so he needs it more. And it’s what you would have done, right? Giving what you have to someone who needs it?”

Will nodded. “Yes, Jeffrey. I’ll make you another knight as soon as I can, I promise. Until then, keep working to be the best carpenter the world has ever seen. Whenever I come, you can show me anything you’ve made. You’ve done a great job, and I know you’ll always keep getting better.”

Djaq grinned as she watched Will talk to Jeffrey. That quiet passion of his was flowing out into Jeffrey. So rarely was it unlocked, she enjoyed the chance to observe it. His eyes were bright and sparkling like they had not been in a long while. Apparently, forest life had taken a greater toll than any of them had known. Djaq swore to herself she would be more conscientious of Will’s feelings, as most of them paid him little heed as a result of his silence.

Shortly thereafter, Djaq pulled Will away, saying they had to make other stops. “We’re done for the day. You know that,” he said as they walked away from the happy mother and son. “What do you mean we have more stops to make?”

Djaq just smiled. “Come and see.”

They went to more villages and Djaq took Will to houses upon which she knew her friend had a strong influence. Everywhere they went, he was greeted with thanks and recognition. Jeffrey was not the only little boy who wanted to grow up to be Will Scarlet. Robin Hood may have been more popular, but Will had garnered a reputation of his own. Djaq tried to ignore the weird twinge in her stomach whenever a girl smiled sweetly at her comrade, reminding herself that she had no business feeling that way about one of the gang. _Why shouldn’t he be off courting?_ she thought. _We won’t be outlaws forever, and then he can establish himself properly._ The thought made her oddly sad. 

Will walked over to where she stood, giving him the space to be recognized and celebrated. “We should go,” he said. “Sun’s setting. They’ll be worried.”

“If that is what you want.”

They said their goodbyes and walked to the forest. They were quiet, taking their time and enjoying the silence and peace of the trees and plants. “What was that about?” he asked eventually.

“I wanted you to remember how much of a difference we make, and how much you specifically do and influence. Most little boys want to grow up to be Robin Hood, but there are some who want to be Will Scarlet because of what he has done for them and their families.”

He caught her hand so she turned to look at him. “That was all for me?” he asked. “Just to cheer me up?” When she nodded, he pulled her into a tight hug. She prayed he could not feel how hard her heart was pounding. “Thank you,” he whispered.


	5. Day 5: Kissing

They got back to the camp just in time for dinner. Before eating, Will made sure to store the dagger safely in his pack. It was the one physical token he had from today, and he never wanted to forget what happened this afternoon. He looked at Djaq, who was teasing Much about what they were eating, and his heart swelled. She had done so much for him today, and she’d never know exactly what it meant to him. She smiled as she caught his eye, and he looked away hurriedly.

He ate in silence, then went to work on the knight for Jeffrey until they put out the fire for the evening and the light died with it. Allan came and sat next to him. “Where were you two? I thought you’d been caught, but Robin said you were probably all right. I’m not being funny, mate, I was worried.”

Will smiled. “Thanks, Allan.” It was good to know his friends cared. “We just went for a walk.”

“A walk, huh?” Allan said suspiciously. Will just nodded, focusing on his work. “You’re hopeless. A long walk with a woman and all you do is walk? Seriously?” Will nodded again. “Whatever, your loss. Good night. Glad you’re ok.”

Will put his work down, patted Allan on the back, and went to his bunk. Djaq was standing near him as he prepared to climb into bed when Much doused the fire. Taking advantage of the sudden dark, he summoned all his courage and quickly kissed her cheek. “Thanks again,” he whispered as he moved away.

He laid in his bunk, trying not to think about the colossally stupid move he had just made. Thankfully, she said nothing about it the next day and acted as if they hadn’t taken the previous day to themselves, so he followed suit and quickly fell back into rhythm.


	6. Day 6: Wearing Each Other's Clothes

“I cannot take it anymore!” Djaq yelled. The gang looked at her oddly. “You all stink! If you do not take baths and clean your clothes, I will leave you and go back home.”

“Why should we take a bath? We took one three months ago, remember?” Allan pointed out.

“And we’ve gone through the sewer entrance at least ten time since then!” she hollered. “I am getting a headache because you all smell so bad!”

“C’mon men, let’s bathe,” Robin commanded. “And bring all the clothes. We’ll wash them out too.”

“Really, Robin? Taking orders from a woman?” Allan grumbled. “Ow,” he muttered as the rock that Djaq threw connected with his shoulder.

“If we smell that strongly, worse than normal, then it will be harder to sneak up on guards and the Sheriff. Now, let’s go,” Robin answered calmly.

“This, I do not like,” Little John muttered, grabbing their spare clothes in his arms and heading for the river. Much followed, complaining loudly. Allan rolled his eyes and walked with Will, who was, as usual, quiet about the whole affair. When they got the river, he spoke up. “I nominate Djaq to take care of the clothes since it was her idea.” The others were quick to agree.

She groaned in frustration, knowing she could not win that argument. She walked over to John, pausing to shove Will into the river. When his head popped above the surface, he was smiling and his eyes were laughing. It made her want to giggle, ruining the façade of anger she was trying to maintain. Djaq took the clothes with a huff and walked upstream. She heard Allan announce he’d keep watch until someone else was ready to, so she relaxed as she unbelted her weapon from her waist, undressed, and slipped into the water.

It felt good to swim around and clean off some of the dirt. Djaq used a rough rock to scrape away the grime that was more stubborn about releasing her skin. She relaxed in the water until she looked at the pile of laundry waiting to be done and groaned. _Why me?_

The crunch of leaves announced someone’s approach, and she slipped beneath the surface of the water to maintain some modesty. “Djaq,” Will called, “it’s just me, Will.”

“Cover your eyes!” she exclaimed as he stepped into view. 

His hands flew to his face. “Sorry!” he cried. “I just thought you might want help washing the clothes.”

“It was your idea for me to do them!”

“It was a joke! I didn’t think they’d actually make you do them all!”

That made Djaq smile; it was nice to know he had been trying to tease her, not push all the work on her. “Hang on.” She pulled her undershirt and trousers from the pile and quickly scrubbed them to remove what dirt she could. When she had put them on, she said, “You can look now.”

Will uncovered his eyes, though his blush remained. She climbed out of the water and sat next to him. He pulled off his shirt and added it to the pile. They worked in silence, but Djaq appreciated the company and, if she was honest, the view. Though the boys occasionally shed their shirts on warm days around camp, it was a rare occurrence, and even more uncommon in Will’s case. She did not often have the chance to admire his trim, muscled chest. These thoughts made her blush, and she focused harder on her work. 

Robin’s warning whistle dragged her from her thoughts. “Guards!” she whispered as she grabbed a shirt from their pile and threw it on. As she seized her weapon and prepared to fight, she saw Will do the same. The guards were upon them quickly, but they were ready. She fought hard, dodging blows when needed. She threw her attacker into the river and heard the spluttering as the current carried him away.

Will had knocked the other two guards unconscious. “Ok?” he asked her.

She nodded. They began to gather the clothes as they heard their friends running to them. “We’re ok!” she called.

Allan laughed when he saw them. “In a hurry to get dressed, were you two?”

Djaq looked down and blushed. She was wearing Will’s shirt, which looked quite large on her small frame. The water had made it cling to her skin, so she had not noticed it was not her more form-fitting top. Looking up, she stifled a laugh at Will, who was wearing her purple shirt and looking quite sheepish. He pulled it off and held it out to her, turning around as he did so. The others turned so she could change. When she and Will had sorted themselves out, they went back to camp.


	7. Day 7: Shopping

“I have a gift, gang,” Robin announced happily. Everyone looked at him. He walked to each person and gave him or her a handful of coins. “Don’t spend it all in one place.”

“We’re not giving it to the poor?” Allan asked, surprised. Will shared his confusion, though he chose not to give it voice. 

“I thought we could use a reward. It’s not much. I don’t want us to attract suspicion. But today is market day and I thought we could enjoy it for once. Go in pairs or by yourself, but not as one big group. You don’t each other. Be careful,” their leader warned.

Will chose to go alone. He liked his friends, but he was looking forward to some solitude. He snuck into Nottingham, flipped up his hood, and began browsing what wares were available. Nothing he saw appealed. He was a man of simple tastes, so fancy clothes were not desirable, especially given the life he led. He kept his weapons and tools in good condition, so he did not need replacements. He thought of just handing his coins to one of the poor when he spotted Djaq admiring a necklace. She was with Allan, and though he was not close enough to make out what was being said, Will could tell Allan was pointing out how useless such a trinket was to their life. She set it down, looked at it wistfully, and then bought a pretty set of bottles for her medicines and a new knife. 

When they wandered away, Will went to the stall. He found the necklace she had been considering. It was silver and small, but beautiful and elegant nonetheless. A bit of haggling later and it was in his possession. “You’re lucky,” the merchant commented. “A couple of people almost bought it right before you showed up.”

Will nodded and took his leave of the vendor. He still had a few coins left, so he gave them to a young girl who was eyeing some of the food on sale hungrily. He caught Little John’s eye; walking past the big man, he muttered, “I’m heading for camp,” low enough that no guard could hear. Back at camp, he found Djaq sitting and admiring her knew knife. “I thought you were with Allan.”

“He wanted to go to the tavern and gamble what little money he had left,” she answered. “Look at this!”

Will took the knife she held out and smiled. “It’s beautiful.” _Like you,_ he added mentally.

Her smile grew. “I can use it to work on my carving. And I got myself new bottles for medicines, so you can have some of my old ones. You’re learning well. Soon, we’ll have two healers in the gang.”

“And two carpenters,” he replied. “Did you get everything you wanted then?”

Djaq nodded. “What did you get, Will? I don’t see you carrying anything new.” He bit his lip and looked away. “You did get yourself something, yeah?” she asked.

“I bought something, but…not for myself.” He reached into a pocket and pulled out the necklace. “I was going to leave it on your pillow for you.”

She took it, eyes wide. “You spy on me!” she exclaimed, reminiscent of one of their first encounters, except this time there was no awkwardness or embarrassment, only surprise.

He shook his head. “No, I just…notice you,” he answered, not knowing how else to describe it. How could he explain that he watched her hair growing longer and thoroughly approved, or that when it was her turn to do the mending, he could always tell because her stitches were the neatest, no doubt from helping put people carefully back together? Was he to mention how, to him, she would always be a woman, not because of weakness or figure, but because of her nurturing, caring spirit that he now turned to when he was discouraged? Or that he loved the way she fought like a man, ferocious and strong, enabling him to rely on her to guard his back in a fight? No, he deemed it better to keep these thoughts to himself. Djaq was one of the lads, and he knew that, were she to fall for any of them, it would be Allan, the friendly, funny flirt, not the quiet one everyone overlooked.

“Why?” she asked. He shrugged and sat down, deciding to work on replenishing their arrow supply. Robin, at least, was getting low. “No, tell me,” she insisted, sitting next to him. “I must know.”

He looked at her, thoughtful. Could he tell her? Then the voices of the others rang through the forest and he looked back to his work. Djaq moved away, but she looked back at him constantly throughout the day, trying to solve the puzzle that was her friend. He smiled slightly to himself as he worked. _I wonder if she has any idea how I feel?_ he thought. He had given up trying to ignore and deny his feeling for her weeks ago. They had only grown stronger since the day she had taken him to the different towns and shown him how important he was. When he had looked up and seen her in his top that day, so long it looked like a small dress, the image had imprinted itself in his mind and all he could think was, _I love her._

She came and sat next to him, two plates of supper in hand. He took one as she said, “I still don’t understand.” He smiled and shrugged, feeling nervous by her proximity. They sat in silence after that. When she rose to put her dishes away, her lips brushed his cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered.

He was certain he was blushing so hard that his cheeks would illuminate the gloom even after they doused the fire.


	8. Day 8: Hanging out with Friends

Djaq smiled as she knocked Allan’s sword out of his hand. “Ha! You are too slow!” She held her sword to his throat. “You are dead now.”

Robin laughed. “At least the Sheriff would have thrown you into the dungeon for us to rescue you!”

Allan laughed, bending over to retrieve his weapon. “She’s just mad I run faster.” Earlier, he had beaten her in a race to the clearing where they practiced. 

“Is that so?” she challenged. Allan was still stooped, so she yanked his tag off his neck. “Come get it then,” she called, running away.

The others laughed as Allan ran after her. He chased her around the clearing. When he caught up to her, she yelled, “Will!” and tossed the tag to him. Allan tackled her a second later, but she managed to flip him off her and spring back to her feet. She was ready to run again, but Allan’s new target was Will.

The carpenter had caught the tag, grinning and holding it out tauntingly. Allan took the bait, and the boys ran through the woods. They disappeared into the trees, but their hollering announced they were not far. Will crashed back into the clearing, pausing to take a breath. Allan, however, was not far behind and jumped on Will a moment later.

They tumbled into the leaves, wrestling and grappling with one another. Eventually, Allan reclaimed his tag and got to his feet. “Gotcha!” He offered Will a hand up, which the other accepted. Allan rubbed his knuckles into the younger man’s scalp, laughing, then released him. 

“What’s all that racket?” Much called, running to them. “You’re scaring off all the animals!”

“You mean the chickens?” Little John teased. “We’re just playing, Much,” he said patiently in response to the indignant spluttering that followed. 

Djaq looked at the frustration in Much’s features. “Come, Much, I will help you hunt,” she told him kindly. “I’m shite at cooking, but I should be able to catch a sq- a chicken,” she hastily amended.

They walked quietly away from their friends. “Thank you, Djaq,” he said after a while.

“It is no problem. Tell me, how are you? How are you doing?”

He looked at her funnily. “Why?”

“You complain a lot, but you actually say very little,” she commented.

“That must be why Will likes you so much. You actually listen.” She tried to ignore the happiness his comment brought and focus on his words. “I miss Eve,” he confessed. “I liked being Earl of Bonchurch and I liked her. I’m glad I came back here, but… I wish it didn’t have to end so soon, you know?”

“You are a good man, Much,” she commented. “You could have stayed in power, played the Sheriff’s game, and left us. But you came back. Not very many people would have.”

Much smiled widely. “No wonder he likes you.”

They spent the rest of the time hunting, not talking. She promised not to tell that they were really squirrels, but she knew it was no secret anyways. Footsteps heralded someone’s arrival, but Djaq had come to recognize the gait and tread as Will’s. He held up two dead rabbits. Much took them happily and they walked back to camp. 

Everyone else was already there, relaxing after a long day’s practice and training. Little John was on watch, and Djaq sat next to him. “Hello, big man.”

He smiled. “Hello, little lady.” She felt a pang in her heart. It was something her father had always called her, which is why she let John, her new father figure, get away with calling her that. Any of the others would have received a boot to the shin, even Will. She picked up a fallen branch on the ground. Pulling out her knife, she began carving at it absentmindedly. “You do that a lot,” he commented.

“I want to get better,” she answered.

“He’s been doing this all his life. You don’t have to try and be as good as him to impress him, you know,” said Little John gently.

She looked up sharply. “I’m not!” she lowered her voice. “I’m not trying to impress him! He’s been a good student, learned everything I showed him, and I want him to see I’ve been learning too.”

He smiled. “Of course. And Much is cooking chicken right now.” Her glare made him laugh. “You’re going to have to tell him someday.”

Djaq continued carving, lost in her thoughts, until Robin asked if she would help him practice her native tongue so he did not lose what knowledge he had and could even expand it a little.


	9. Day 9: With Animal Ears

_Another successful raid,_ Will thought happily. Eventually, the nobles that had ambushed had fled for their lives, and so the contents of the cart were theirs to take. He kept a watchful eye out in case they decided to return, while everyone else grabbed all they could and ran it back to camp. Everyone was happy and laughing as they emptied it. 

“Do you want to chop it up for wood?” Robin asked Will when they had finished unloading it. 

He studied the cart, but shook his head. Though it was fine wood, it was too thin and flexible to make anything durable. Definitely a noble’s cart, he thought. It’s not meant to last, just to look nice. He wondered what it must be like to have extra money. Before the Sheriff had arrived, they had always had enough, but never such extravagance as to be able to afford things that would not last.

Back at camp, they were digging through their finds. “Look lads,” called Allan. He found a large pile of furs and placed one about his head and shoulder. “I’m the Sheriff of Nottingham,” he said in a ridiculous voice. “You there!” He pointed at Much. “I order you to starve! And you!” He pointed at John. “Give me all your money! And you,” he ordered, pointing at Will, “kiss the next girl you see or you’ll be part of tomorrow’s entertainment!”

Will blushed. He was glad there was no love lost between him and Allan over their mutual admiration of Djaq, but he almost wished his friend was a least a little put off by it so he would not be teased quite so much.

Robin nocked an arrow and shot the furs off Allan’s head. “Robin Hood!” Allan snapped, looking everywhere but at Robin. “Where is he? Guy!” he yelled, grabbing Djaq’s wrist. “Take your incompetent guards and buffoons and get after them! They went that way!” he cried, pointing dramatically in the opposite direction of their grinning leader.

Djaq laughed, then smothered the sound with her hand and ran a couple feet in the direction he was pointing. She looked around dramatically, and then ran back. “My Lord! Not only have they escaped, they emptied all of our prisons and took all of our money! And stole Lady Marian away!”

“Curse you, Robin Hood! I’ll see you hang yet!” Allan cried. Djaq could no longer contain her mirth, and everyone joined in her laughter. Will found himself chuckling along as Allan took a bow. 

The grin remained on Will's face when Djaq grabbed another fur and pulled it on her head. The animal’s head was part of the fur, and the ears stuck up on her head. “Look out! I am a fox!” she said with a growl that he found more adorable than fierce, making him chuckle again.

“What do you think, gang? Can we get some decent money for these to give to the poor?” Robin asked.

“We should hold onto some of them,” Will said. His vision went dark as Djaq playfully pulled one of the other furs over his head, giving him animal ears as well. He readjusted it and watched in amusement as she did the same to everyone else. “It’s going to be winter soon, and we can use them to keep warm at night.”

“Good thinking,” Robin said. “Everybody choose one for your beds. We’ll sell the rest or give them to people who need them.”

They tossed the ones from their heads into the pile, then started sorting through the stack and choosing what they wanted. Will went last, slipping two out of the pile instead of his allotted one. Robin looked at him funny, but said nothing. “Come, we’ll go to our deliveries,” Robin ordered.

“I’m gonna stay back today. I’m not feeling so well,” Will said. He knew it was a poor excuse, but it was all that came to mind. “I’ll watch camp, make some more arrows, rest up a bit, you know….” He trailed off.

Robin gave him another look, but remained silent. As the others were preparing to leave, Djaq came over to Will. She put her hands to his face. He was surprised at how soft they were. “You don’t have a fever, but your face is flushed. Are you ok? I can stay back if you’d like.”

He shook his head. “Don’t worry. You’ve taught me enough that I can take care of myself.”

She huffed. “What if I like taking care of you?”

Will laughed and hoped he was not blushing outrageously. “If I’m still unwell tomorrow, you can take care of me all you like. I won’t move a finger unless you tell me to.”

She frowned. “Promise me I can look after you tonight, or I’m staying.”

He chuckled. “That’s-” He gulped his words back into his throat. He had almost said, “That’s why I love you”!

Hastily, he amended it to, “That’s fine.”

When everyone had left, Will worked quickly. He took Djaq’s fur- she had chosen the one she had put on his head- and began cutting his extra fur to match it. Having done that, he began stitching it to hers, making sure it was almost impossible to see the seams. He jumped when a voice asked, “What’s going on, Will?”

He looked at Robin. “What are you doing here?”

“Forgot my bow.”

Will glanced at where the weapon lay. “Forgot? More like left.”

“Doesn’t matter. Why did you disobey me?”

“For Djaq. She’s smaller and female, so she’ll get cold easier. And she’s not used to our snowy winters. She’d never accept a second one, especially not when there are others to help, but who’s to know if her fur is thicker than anyone else’s?”

To Will’s surprise, Robin smiled. “So you are in love with her?” Will turned sullenly back to his work. Why did everyone find it so humorous that he fancied her? “It’s ok, Will, I won’t tell her. But you should, someday, before it’s too late.”


	10. Day 10: Wearing Kigurumis (Disguises)

“Why do we need to get into the castle again?” Much whined.

Djaq rolled her eyes as Robin explained yet again that they needed to see if the Sheriff was expecting any more Black Knights or if there would be a surge in taxes. “Now that Marian’s not there, we have to do it ourselves,” Robin insisted.

Much continued to whine until Djaq finally snapped, “Shut up!” She racked her brain, trying to think of a way they could get in without attracting too much attention.

“So what, should we just knock a couple of guards out and march in?” Allan suggested.

“Too obvious,” she argued. “We do that all the time.”

“Yeah, ‘cause it works.”

“No, she’s right,” replied Robin.

“I have it!” Djaq exclaimed. “Much and John, I want you to go and get yourselves guard uniforms, shackles, and they keys to open them. Robin, you and Allan go to the village and get old, worn out rags for four of us to wear, and wigs if you can manage. We need to look old and dirty. Will, you come with me. We need to collect materials.”

As everyone walked away, Will fell into step beside her. “What are we doing? What’s your plan?”

“Well, the Sheriff is having that major execution of all criminals tomorrow, yeah?” Will nodded. “And what do your people call my science?”

“Witchcraft.”

“So two guards bring in four witches for the executions tomorrow, but through their magic, they escape. And by magic, I mean this.” She held out a bottle of acid.

Will’s smile grew as understanding dawned. “How will we get out?”

“Ideally, over the wall. But, knowing our luck, more probably with lots of running and yelling and fighting,” she replied, stooping to cut the plant she needed.

Will laughed and did the same. They worked in silence, side by side. Djaq kept watching him out of the corner of her eye. She liked the look of on his face when he was concentrating on his work. He gave whatever he was doing the same penetrating stare that made her knees weak whenever he turned it to her, and she enjoyed watching it from afar. They worked quickly, gathering ingredients and preparing the mixture. 

The others arrived with the requested materials. Djaq told them her plan as they quickly donned their disguises. 

“It’s a pretty risky plan,” Allan complained as he pulled the rags over his head.

“Have you got a better one then?” Will snapped, adjusting his wig. The boys looked at each other in silent communication. Allan raised his arms in protest, but Will silenced him with a glare. Allan rolled his eyes, shook his head, and walked away.

“What was that about?” Djaq asked, straightening her rags.

“Nothing,” he assured her. “How do I look?”

She smiled. “You’re the most attractive witch I’ve ever seen.” She froze and blushed. _Did I really just say that?_

Will grinned. “You only say that ‘cause you haven’t seen yourself.” At this, he blushed brightly too.

Djaq felt her cheeks glow hotter, and she looked away from his dark gaze. _Could he feel the same way about me? No, there are plenty of pretty girls interested in him at the villages. He would not be interested in me,_ she thought sadly.

She continued to steal glances at him throughout the night. Though she may not have a future with him, she figured she could enjoy the time she did have. His gaze frequently met hers as they walked at the hands of their “jailers”, and though at first she looked away due to embarrassment, eventually she worked up the courage to hold his stare, and they would grin conspiratorially at one another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't want to do furs again, and there was nothing else I could think of, so I apologize if the disguises were a bit of a let down.


	11. Day 11: Making Out

The plan went almost exactly as Djaq had predicted. They escaped the dungeons using Djaq's potions and Much and John’s keys, gathered information on the Sheriff’s schemes, and even managed to liberate some of the surplus tax money that was lying around. Now, they were running like mad from the guards and the Sheriff. Will looked over at Djaq, who was running beside him, and grinned. Though he did not like that death awaited them if they made a mistake, he enjoyed the thrill of running with his friend like this.

The found the rest of their friends and kept running. The guards cornered them at the gates. “If I give you a distraction, can you get these open, Robin?” Will asked. When his friend nodded, Will held up his hands and carefully set down his axe. Djaq hissed his name, but he ignored her. “I have the money!” he yelled to the Sheriff, who was glaring at them. “If you let us go, I’ll give it to you! You can have it all back!”

The Sheriff called back, “Throw me the money, and if it’s all there, I’ll let you go!”

Will reached into his pocket, ignoring his friends’ protests. He knew the Sheriff would never let them go. Did they really believe he was that naïve? He pulled out a small, clear potion instead of the coins and threw it. It exploded and set off a stream of sparks, followed by a cloud of smoke. Robin used the opportunity to open the gates, and they ran for the safety of Sherwood.

When they were safe at camp, everyone patted him on the back and complimented his quick thinking. He grinned, but pointed out, “The whole idea was Djaq’s, don’t forget. She’s the really clever one.”

Djaq smiled from where she was sorting through their spoils. “Robin, may I go into town and buy fabric? These clothes we borrowed from the villagers will not keep them warm, and we have some extra money from our good friend the Sheriff. I can put them back together and stitch them and patch them before we give them back.”

Robin nodded. “Get some rest first, then go ahead. Will, I want you to go with her. Be her shadow and let us know if she gets into any trouble.”

Will nodded, and then collapsed on his bunk. The late night mission, running, and fighting all caught up to him, and he fell asleep within moments. It felt like no time had passed before Djaq was shaking him awake. They walked to the market. “That was a clever trick,” Djaq commented.

“I had to do something. I came up with the plan a while ago, just never needed it ‘til now. Besides,” he added, clearing his throat uncomfortably, “I had a good teacher.”

She smiled widely. They had reached the market, so they parted ways. He watched as she moved throughout the stalls. He loved her so much, and she was always doing something that made his feelings impossible to ignore. Her thoughtfulness for others, her clever and quick wit, the ferocity with which she fought, and all the other little facets of her character only cemented his emotions.

Suddenly, she came running up to him. “One of the guards recognized me!” She grabbed him and turned him so that he was covering her. “Quick, kiss me!”

Confused, Will started to protest, but Djaq grabbed his face and brought it to hers, silencing his questions with her lips on his. Will’s mind went blank. He did not process the stomping of the guards’ feet as they ran past or the noise and bustle around them, just the feeling of Djaq against him and his lips on hers. _This may be my only chance to kiss her,_ was his last coherent thought.

Letting instinct take over, he moved his hands to her hips and pulled her loser. His eyes slipped shut as she closed her own and moved her hands to his hair. He stepped in closer and hugged her fully to him, enjoying the sensation of their lips sliding together. He brushed a tentative tongue to her lips, expecting the spell to break and her to slap him, but she granted him the access he requested. Rubbing her back and sides with his hands, he softly explored her mouth with his tongue. She touched hers to his lightly, then gradually grew bolder and slipped her tongue into his mouth.

Finally, their need to breathe became too urgent to ignore, and they broke apart. Her chest was heaving against his as they caught their breath, and he tried to ignore how nice it felt. “The guards are probably gone now,” he said awkwardly, blushing furiously.

“Oh! Yes, I’m sure!” she exclaimed, her cheeks bright. “I’m sorry, Will, I just- it was all I could think of.”

He cleared his throat. “No, no reason to apologize,” he stammered. “You’re safe and that’s what matters.” He stopped himself from adding, “And I really liked kissing you.”

“But…but what if a village girl you wanted to woo saw us? And I didn’t even ask.” Her voice sounded shaky.

Will shook his head. “It was to protect you, and you don’t ever need to ask. And there’s no girl I want to court from any village, so don’t worry about that.” In the safety of his mind, he reflected, _Well, at least if she thinks that, it means she hasn’t noticed how I feel._

“Oh, right,” she said awkwardly.

He looked down at her pink cheeks and lips and had to fight not to kiss her again. All of a sudden, he noticed his arms were still around her, holding her close. “Oh my goodness! I am so sorry!” he cried, releasing her.

Djaq removed her hands from his hair just as quickly, as if she, too, had just realized what position they were in. “No, don’t, don’t apologize,” she said hurriedly. “I’ll just, um, just finish getting the fabric. I’m almost done.” With that, she scampered away.

Will leaned against the all, breathing heavily. Part of him hoped she’d get recognized and need shielding again.


	12. Day 12: Eating Ice Cream (Snow)

Djaq opened her eyes and shivered in the frigid air. There was white in spots on the ground throughout the camp, and she was grateful Will had built their bunks under a cover. She pulled her oddly thick fur tighter around her and tried not to let her teeth chatter.

“Morning!” Allan called cheerily from his bunk when he saw she was awake.

“What is this?” she asked, pointing.

He laughed. “It’s snow.”

Everyone else was getting up and moving about the camp. Though they were obviously wearing extra layers, none of them seemed exceptionally bothered by the cold. Much, even, did not seem to mind too drastically. He complained about the cold, but pointed out that at least water would be easy to come by. “Why is that?” she asked, not ready to move from the relative warmth of her bed yet.

“The snow’s basically frozen water,” Little John answered, not unkindly. “If you heat it up over a fire, you get water.”

“So it’s like ice?”

“Kind of,” said Robin, “except it’s soft.”

Djaq was confused. Ice that was soft? Will walked to where she lay and scooped up some of the stuff. He held it out to her silently, patiently waiting for her to explore it. She poked it and was surprised when her finger left a hole. It was exactly as they had described it: cold and frozen like ice, but soft and fluffy. “And it is safe to eat?” she verified.

“As long as you don’t get any with dirt in it,” Allan answered.

Will continued to say nothing, but he took a small bite out of the pile in his hands. There was a spot of it on his upper lip, and Djaq had a sudden urge to lick it off that startled her greatly. Thoughts like these had plagued her since the ill-planned, intense kiss in the alley. Quickly, she took a large bite out of the snow. Her eyes widened. It did not have much taste, but she quite liked the texture. “It’s freezing!” she complained.

Robin gestured at where she lay under her fur. “That’s why-”

A panicked expression crossed Will’s features and he flung the snow in hands at Robin’s face. Djaq was startled. She expected their leader to be angry, but he merely laughed. “That’s why we saved the furs,” he said, looking between her and Will. The silent boy blushed brightly and walked away.

Bewildered, Djaq forced herself to rise and move about the camp. She was still cold, but it helped a bit. After everyone had eaten breakfast, Robin announced, “We’re going to the villages to see if anyone’s house has been damaged by the snow. Will and Djaq, make sure to bring your tools. Let’s go.”

As they prepared to leave, Will tapped her shoulder. He was holding out an extra shirt to her. She took it and pulled it over her head. As she walked away quickly, Djaq wondered what was wrong with her friend. He was acting peculiar around her; in fact, he had been ever since that unfortunate kiss. _I shouldn’t have done that,_ she thought bitterly, following her friends. She regretted it terribly for whatever division it had caused, though she enjoyed the memory. His hands on her waist and back, holding her close… for a few minutes, she believed he loved her in return.

Something cold to the back of her head snapped Djaq back to the present. She rubbed snow out of her hair and looked around. Allan was whistling with his hands in his pockets, and everyone else was grinning. Djaq bent down, scooped up a handful of the stuff, and flung it at him. It did not fly the way she wanted, so it only hit his chest instead of his face. This launched a snow war between everyone. Will and Little John fought alongside her, while Allan, Robin, and Much attacked them.

Snow whizzed through the air between the laughing friends. Djaq learned to form a snowball by watching the others, and she was soon almost as good of a shot as they were. They were still much faster, however. She ducked behind Little John to get more snowballs when suddenly Allan picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. He was gentle and careful, so Djaq knew he was just fooling around, but she pounded her fist on his back and demanded to be released nonetheless. “Might be more convincing if you weren’t laughing!” Robin called.

Djaq grinned. Honestly, she did not mind. It just made her feel like one of the gang, being wrestled like this. “You guys are the worst teammates ever,” she told Will and John, draped over Allan’s shoulder and unable to escape. “You just watch. You don’t try to save me.”

John smiled. “And here we thought you could save yourself. All right lad, let’s go get her.”

Will and John ran after Allan, who was now slowed by Djaq’s extra weight. He tripped and they both went flying into the snow. Pulling herself up, she looked at Allan. “Are you ok?” she asked. When he nodded, she said, “Good,” took a handful of snow, and dumped it down his shirt.

The gang laughed as he yelped and danced around. “Truce!” he called. “I want a truce!”

Djaq giggled. “Very well, Allan-a-Dale, but know this- it will be quite cold for you if you are the one to break it.”

They continued their trek to the villages. Djaq, walking towards the back, paused and knelt down. Will, who had been walking next to her, looked back and raised an eyebrow. “Just thirsty,” she explained, scooping up some snow. Will smiled and mimicked her actions. “And cold,” she muttered as they resumed walking.

To her surprise, Will wrapped an arm about her shoulders and pulled her to his side. She was warmed by his body heat and the part of the cloak he brought around her shoulders, and her insides and heart were warmed by his kindness and proximity.


	13. Day 13: Genderswapped

_Jill ran away from the guards, yelling, “C’mon, Jack!” Unfortunately, they were surrounded. Jill ran back to where Jack stood, his sword drawn. “Have you got a plan, then?” Jill hissed to her friend._

_He shook his head. “No. I am sorry, Jill. I think we’re done for.”_

_Jill shook her head, tears blurring her eyes. “We cannot die here! You cannot die!” She brushed her short, brown hair out of her eyes and looked at her dark-skinned companion. “You can’t die,” she whispered._

_A fanfare blasted, and Sheriff Allan-a-Dale of Nottingham and his right hand man, Sir Much, stepped out of the castle doors. “Good work, men!” Sir Much called to the guards._

_“Yes, very good,” Sheriff Allan agreed. “We have finally caught some of the outlaws. However, I say we have a little fun with them. Oi!” he hollered to Jack and Jill, “admit you love him, pretty girl, and I might let you go free!”_

_Everyone laughed. “Don’t let them get to you!” Jack cried. “Just ignore them. I’ll think of something.”_

_Jill blushed. “But…Jack,” she said quietly, “I do love you. Everyone knows I love you.”_

_He looked at her in surprise. “I didn’t.”_

_Before they could discuss it further, the castle wall came crashing down. Little John the Friendly Giant roared, “Everyone out, now!”_

_“No, they’re ruining my entertainment!” Sheriff Allan yelled. “Much, make him stop!”_

_“You want entertainment? Here!” Robin cried. He ran into the center of the courtyard and began to play the harp that was sitting there._

_Jill and Jack took the opportunity Robin’s distraction gave them and ran far away. The last thing she heard was Sheriff Allan saying, “I’m not being funny, he’s very good.”_

Will sat straight up in bed. The first face he saw was Allan’s, and he promptly punched him. 

“Will!” the others exclaimed.

“I’m not being funny, mate, what was that for?” Allan asked, rubbing his jaw. “I saved your life!”

Will looked around. His friends were all standing there, looking confused and concerned. He focused on Djaq. “You’re a woman.”

She nodded, the look on her face somewhere between “Are you ok?” and “How stupid can you be?”

He looked down at himself. “And I’m a man,” he confirmed in relief.

Djaq’s face was very concerned now. “Is that optional?”

“What happened to me?” he asked, plopping down.

“You were shot,” Robin told him. “We were running out of the castle and were almost safe, but then you got hit by an arrow in the arm. You fell down instantly, so Allan carried you here.”

“The arrow was poisoned,” Djaq cut in. “I did my best to neutralize it, but apparently there were side effects.”

He nodded. “Really strange dreams,” he explained. “Sorry, Allan. In my dream, you were the Sheriff, Much was your right hand man, and you had caught me and Djaq and were going to make us the evening’s entertainment, except I was a girl and she was a boy. Then John was a giant and Robin played the harp.”

His friends stared at him for a minute, and then the forest rang with their laughter. Will joined in, happy to be alive and in the real world. Djaq smiled as the others dispersed. “I can happily tell you that you’re still a man, Will Scarlet,” she told him.

“And I’m happy you’re a woman,” he replied, then looked away, blushing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not entirely sure what my brain was doing when I wrote this chapter. I apologize for it, and promise the next one will be much better and posted very shortly, like within a day or two!


	14. Day 14: Different Clothes

Djaq sat by herself and cried. Today marked the passing of her brother and father, and she had told Robin she needed the day alone to grieve. She had tried to remember them with fond, happy memories, but all she could think about were the corpses.

“Djaq?” Will called.

“What do you want?” she snapped, frustrated at having her solitude invaded.

He stepped into view. “What’s wrong?” he asked, hurrying to her side.

“My family died a year ago today and I was taken to be a slave,” she sobbed.

Will sat beside her and pulled her to him. “Today is the day Safiyah died, is it not?” he whispered quietly.

Djaq nodded and cried even harder. He held her as she cried, running his hand through her hair. “You’re so brave, Safiyah,” he whispered. “I’ve never known anyone as brave as you. You could have gone home ages ago, but instead you stay, fighting a war that isn’t yours for the people who killed your loved ones. You are brave, and you are strong, and nothing will change that about you.”

“Even though I am a woman?”

He chuckled quietly. “A hundred times over because you are a woman. It can’t be easy living out here in the woods with all us boys.”

She giggled a little through her tears, but they continued to flow. After a few more minutes, Will said, “If I do the most humiliating thing I can think of to try and make you laugh, do you promise not to tell the others?”

Her curiosity rose. “I promise”

He pulled away and stood up. “Turn around and plug your ears. I’ll tap your shoulder when I’m ready.”

She obeyed. A minute or two later, he tapped her shoulder. She turned and could not contain her laughter. He was standing before her in a pale yellow dress. He clearly had not seen many well-dressed servant girls before, as the sleeves that were meant to rest on the upper arms were being used as shoulder straps, resting up by his neck. “What do you think?” he asked, twirling the skirt. “Does it go with my boots?”

Djaq fell to the ground from laughing so hard. Will’s neck and face were the color of his surname, so intense was his blush, but he smiled at her. “I knew it would work. Actually, I didn’t. I was terrified it wouldn’t, because how embarrassing would that be? But I had to try. However,” he added, “I’m sure it would look much better on you than me.” With that, he tried to pull the dress over his head, but got stuck. “Help!” he squeaked. 

Still laughing, Djaq helped him untangle himself. She focused on the dress to keep from staring at his bare chest. “Where did you get this?”

“There was a cart full of them on their way to the Sheriff. I figured he wouldn’t notice if one went missing. I hope it fits. I’m afraid I can’t exactly go and get my money back.” He turned around as he pulled his shirt over his head, allowing her the privacy to change. 

She giggled again. “You know, we say Allan is the funny one, but you are quite witty too. Why do you keep it to yourself so much?”

“Allan can’t be anything but funny, and we don’t need two jokers around the place.”

Djaq put the dress on, smiling. She had not worn one in a long time, and it felt good to do so again. She wished she had worn her necklace today, the one she admired every night and loved, due to the man who gave it to her, more than anything. Allan had talked her out of buying it, and she was glad, because it became a gift from Will instead and meant infinitely more.

She tapped him on the shoulder. Will turned around and swallowed, looking her up and down. “What?” she asked.

“Nothing,” he answered. “It definitely looks better on you. Glad it fits. Oh, and I thought this might look nice with it.” He pulled her necklace out of his pocket and offered it to her. 

Djaq put it on. Scooping up her clothes, she asked. “Shall we walk to the river? I want to know what I look like.”

He nodded and they set off. As they walked, Djaq told him stories about growing up. She told him stories about the real Djaq and Safiyah, playing in the hot sand. He listened well, but said nothing. When they reached the water, she fell silent, staring at her reflection. “Is that what Safiyah looked like?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Safiyah’s hair was long and beautiful, not short and silly like mine. Safiyah was a child with a round face and no curves, and this girl-” She gestured at the water, unsure what else to say.

“And that girl isn’t a girl at all, but a woman,” Will said quietly. He tucked a yellow flower in her hair. “With beautiful hair and a heart of gold.” With that, he walked away, leaving her to contemplate the face staring back at her.


	15. Day 15: During Morning Ritual

Will grumbled to himself as the sun shone on his bunk and called him to consciousness. He was not terribly fond of waking up and leaving his warm bed behind every day, so he pulled the blanket back over his face. “C’mon, Will,” Little John said affectionately, shoving Will’s shoulder as he walked past. “Time to rise.”

The younger man groaned and unburied himself. Before forcing himself out of bed, he flopped onto his side and enjoyed the best part of his morning ritual. It was no accident that he had chosen the bunk across from Djaq. Every morning, he rolled to his side and stole a glance at the woman he loved sleeping peacefully. It made waking up a little less terrible, though he still would have preferred to sleep.

With a sigh, he clambered out of bed stretched the sleep from his muscles. Still a little groggy, he walked to the river. After relieving himself, he washed his hands and face. His friends teased him about his insistence on maintaining some cleanliness, but it was a habit his mum had enforced. Their house was always covered in a fine layer of dust from their work, and she had withheld meals until they had washed up, back when there were meals to be withheld. As a tribute to her, he washed his hands whenever he could.

Walking back to camp, he accepted some breakfast from Much and sat to eat it. Djaq had woken up and passed him on her way to the river. He was sharpening his tools when she came back, as he did every morning. She sat next to him to eat, talking to Little John and Much. 

Allan came and sat on his other side. “Morning, mate.” Will smiled in reply. Djaq rose, gave Much her dishes, and left to pray. “You wanna try out that trap to day?” Allan asked.

Will looked at him. “Are you volunteering?”

“Does it hurt?”

Robin laughed. “Well, today we have three drop points to be at and two other deliveries to make, so no trying anything until those are taken care of.”

They spent the rest of the morning allocating duties, then when their separate ways


	16. Day 16: Spooning

Djaq shivered. “I am freezing!” she exclaimed.

Much felt her forehead. “Master, she’s burning up!”

They were all looking at her with great concern. She had fallen ill while helping take care of some of the villagers, and no one knew what to do. Will had done his best to help, using what she had taught him and following the instructions she gave, but she felt little better. Robin shook his head. “I’m going to go get Matilda. Hopefully, she can help. The rest of you, do not leave Djaq’s side. That’s an order!”

Djaq pulled her fur closer around her. She was trying to be a good patient, but she felt miserable. Irritated by her weakness, she shooed them away. “You don’t have to hover by my bed like vultures! I will call if I need anything.”

They did as she asked, puttering about the camp. They talked in low tones, which made her want to scream. She rolled onto her side away from them, hoping to sleep and ignore her misery. “Budge over,” said Will quietly from behind her.

“Why?”

“It was John’s idea. Body heat might help warm you up. I can ask one of the others if you’d like, but John seemed to think you’d want me. Since we’re good mates and all.” He sounded hesitant, as if uncertain she would want him there.

“What if you get sick too?” she asked as she moved over to give him room.

Will did not answer, just climbed in next to her, slipping beneath the covers. He situated himself right behind her, her back to his chest. Very hesitantly and cautiously, he put one arm around her stomach, holding her. “Is this ok?”

“Yes,” she said happily. His warmth was seeping slowly into her, taking away her shivers and chills, and his presence calmed her worries. She pressed against him further, seeking the comfort he provided. “Tell me stories,” she requested drowsily. “Happy stories.”

He talked softly, lulling her to sleep. His stories entered her dreams, shaping the forms they took as she wandered in and out of consciousness. Some were folktales and ballads, with which she was unfamiliar though Will knew them by heart. Others were tales from his childhood, playing with his brother. They had had grand adventures, slaying wicked beasts and fighting alongside the King as knights. They had been princes, rescuing fair maidens from evil or winning their hands through daring feats. He told her about Robin teaching him to read and write during their time as outlaws, how he was getting almost as good as a noble, though he struggled with spelling things correctly.

Djaq wished she was more awake for these tales; Will so rarely shared himself, and here she was, barely able to keep her eyes open! She could hardly distinguish her dreams from her waking moments, though there were times she knew she was asleep. For example, she heard Will tell her that one of his favorite memories would always be kissing her because he loved her. It had to be a dream, because those were her words in his mouth. 

During one of her more lucid moments, she heard a conversation between her friends that she longed to be able to participate in, but she was too exhausted to speak.

_“I see you took my orders to heart,” Robin had said._

_“It was John’s idea,” Will had explained._

_“Allan could have done it,” Dream-Robin had replied. “When will you tell her?”_

_“There’s no point. She doesn’t think of me that way, and she never will. Why would she? She’s beautiful and amazing and fantastic, and I’m a simple carpenter. Why would a woman like her want a nobody like me? Besides, once all this is over, she’ll go back home. Why ruin a good friendship over nothing?”_

As she slipped back into slumber, she wondered who was this amazing that had so impressed Will.

The next time she awoke, she felt much better. Matilda and Robin were seated by her bedside, watching her. “How do you feel, Djaq?”

“Quite well,” she answered with a smile. “I believe the sickness has left my body. And I have not slept so well in a long time! What did you give me?”

Matilda smiled. “I’ll show you how to make the medicine for your illness. But it did nothing to help you sleep. Thank him for that,” she replied, gesturing to Djaq's bed companion.

Djaq looked at Will, who was still lying beside her. He was lying on his back now, but he looked over and smiled. “I’m glad you’re ok.”

“Thank you for staying with me,” she said softly. “But what if you get sick now?” She felt his face, concerned. It was warm, but not dangerously so.

He shrugged. “I’ll be all right if you take care of me.”

She smiled and kissed his forehead. “Of course I will.”


	17. Day 17: Doing Something Together

“Will, Djaq, you’re gonna be busy today,” Robin announced as he entered the camp. “The Sheriff and Guy were particularly destructive during the tax collection. Houses broken, doors smashed to bits, furniture left no longer fit for more than firewood. Today’s priority is helping those people put their households back together. Also, bring any toys you have, there are many scared, crying children with broken toys. We’ll get you the wood and supplies you need, as much as we can.”

Will nodded and went to gather his tools. _Wish I had more gifts,_ he thought as he collected what toys he had. _I haven’t had time to make any._

“Should I grab my medicines? Was anyone hurt?” Djaq asked.

_That’s one of the things I love about you. You’re always thinking of others._

“Good idea. Now, let’s go!” Robin cried, running off.

Though there were more houses than bodies broken, there were plenty of both. Will and Djaq treated the wounded first, then put their carpentry to work. She was not as skilled as he was in that area, but she learned quickly and worked hard. _It’s nice to have someone to work beside,_ he thought, smiling at her.

“It will be ok,” he murmured to a crying woman he passed. Will paused and wiped at her tears, his heart breaking for the poor, scared person. “We’re Robin Hood’s men, and we’re here to help.”

Djaq came alongside him and comforted the woman as well. “How can we help?”

The woman pointed to her house, where the door was in splinters and there were holes in the walls. “Don’t worry, I’m good with wood,” he assured her.

He and Djaq began patching the holes. The noise made it hard to talk, but they shared frequent glances and smiles. _She’s gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. And kind. Whoever she marries- if she marries- will be a very lucky man._

They worked through the day like so, taking as few breaks as possible. Finally, the long day ended and they walked back to camp, tired and sore but content with the good they had done. Everyone collapsed except Much, who bustled about making dinner. “Why would the Sheriff do that?” Allan asked with a groan.

“Because he is a heartless, cruel, terribly human being who has no soul,” Much answered.

Will chuckled. “Now hang on, I’m not being funny,” Allan said. “It takes a lot of strength to break walls and furniture like that. He would have had to hire some big guys, like Little John here, to do that, and why would he do that if he’s trying to get more money, not spend it all?”

Will was surprised. Allan had put his finger on the one question Will had been pondering throughout the day.

“Fear,” John replied. “It encourages fear. And people obey more when they’re scared. They’ll do more and they’ll give you more if they are afraid of you.”

Djaq came and sat next to Will, handing him a plate of food that Will was too tired to care if it contained chicken or not. “We did good today, yeah?” she commented. He nodded. “I like working with you, Will Scarlet.”

~ ~ ~

_“I’m sorry lads,” Will said apologetically, feeling terrible. “I’m all out of toys!” It was the last town they were visiting today, and, as he had predicted, he was under stocked._

_“I, however, am not,” said Djaq. He looked at her, surprised. She had just enough, with one extra doll. He took it, turning it over in his hand. “I looked at one of the ones you made and tried to copy it,” she explained. “I know it’s not that good, but at least they’ll have something.”_

_He handed the toy back. “You’re a hero, Djaq. Look at all those smiling faces. They’re because of you.”_

_Her face brightened, radiant like the sun._

~ ~ ~

“I like working with you too, Djaq.”


	18. Day 18: In Formal Wear

“Are you sure this isn’t a trap?” Allan asked as they walked to the mansion door.

“Why would Edward and Marian set a trap for us?” Much asked, sounding hesitant.

“What if the Sheriff and Gisborne turn up?”

“Edward said they weren’t invited,” Robin assured them. “It’s just a party with the villagers to celebrate Marian’s birthday. Why would they come?”

They slipped into Knighton Hall unnoticed. When they found Marian and Edward, the lord of the manor ushered them to another room. “Today,” he said, “I do not care about what the Sheriff and Sir Guy think. You have done Nottingham much good, and you are my daughter’s guests of honor. I have outfits for you all much more befitting than those rags you’re wearing.” He gestured to a pile of outfits, much finer and nobler than they had ever worn before, except maybe for Robin.

“You can change in my room if you’d like, Djaq,” said Marian, appearing at the doorway.

“Thank you,” said Djaq, taking her gown and following their hostess. “I may need help,” she added as they walked, feeling slightly ashamed. “I have never worn a dress like this before.”

Marian smiled kindly and shut the door behind them. “I’ll help you. It’s no trouble.”

“Why is your father doing this? I thought he does not like Robin.”

Marian sighed. “He doesn’t approve of the way he does things. But it’s my birthday and I insisted that I wanted all of you, my friends, to be here and dressed like proper lords and ladies.”

“Do I look like a lady?” Djaq asked as Marian straightened the dress a bit.

Marian held up a silver platter in which Djaq could see her reflection. “I think you do.”

Djaq smiled. She was beautiful for once. “Will’s not going to be able to keep is eyes off you,” said Marian with a grin.

“What are you talking about?” Djaq asked, blushing. 

Marian laughed and set down the platter. “Djaq, we are friends, yes?” Djaq nodded. “Then we should speak freely and truthfully to one another. I am not blind. You look at him the way I look at Robin, and he looks at you the way I like to think Robin looks at me.”

Djaq shook her head sadly. “He cannot look at me the way Robin looks at you. You hold Robin’s heart, but Will’s heart belongs to another.”

The look Marian gave her suggested she thought Djaq was daft, but she pushed the matter no further. “Well, we should rejoin the party. I should not be absent for too long since it’s being held in my honor. It’s really just an excuse to feed and cheer up the people without the Sheriff complaining too much.”

When they returned downstairs, Marian took her leave and went to mingle with the populace. Djaq found her friends and joined them. “I hardly recognized you!” she exclaimed. They were all dressed nicely in fine robes with clean hands and faces. “Where are the stinky, grubby outlaws I live with?”

“You’re one to talk. You actually look like a woman! Have you ever worn a dress before?” Allan asked cheekily.

Will had not told them about the dress? She looked at Will, and his intense stare surprised her. He blushed when she caught his eye and looked away. “I have worn a dress many times, Allan-a-Dale,” she answered distractedly.

“Not that we’ve ever seen,” Much commented.

“Well, it’s hardly good for running and fighting!” she replied defensively. Why was this such a big deal to all of them? Even Little John was looking at her funny.

“C’mon gang,” said Robin. “Sir Edward and Lady Marian are risking a lot by having us at this party. We should enjoy their hospitality.”

They dispersed, Much and Allan to the food, Little John to speak to the guests, and Robin t Marian’s side. Will disappeared amongst the crowds, but Djaq saw him occasionally as she mingled. He always seemed to be accompanied by several young women. Not that Djaq could blame them- her friend looked very handsome and noble in those clothes. She tried not to feel envious, and took heart in the fact that his eyes seemed to rest on her more than those surrounding him. His gaze was intense, and she tried to ignore the thrill she felt at having it directed her way.


	19. Day 19: Dancing

Will leaned against a wall, hoping to be able to watch Djaq without people addressing him. The large body of people made him uncomfortable, but it was nice to see them all in good cheer. Djaq moved about the room, talking to people. Far too many men approached her in Will’s opinion, but she frequently met his eyes, and he allowed himself to enjoy it more than was advisable. She looked radiant in that dress and he found it impossible to look away.

“You really are hopeless, mate,” commented Allan, coming to stand beside Will and handing him a cup of wine. “I mean, it’s obvious she fancies you, and you’re just standing here while all those other men flirt with her.”

Will took a drink, and then shook his head. “You’re wrong. Besides, shouldn’t you be happy I’m not making any moves towards her?”

Allan looked at him in surprise. “I’m not being funny, I gave up on the two of us having a chance a long time ago. It would take you betraying us to the Sheriff to distract her.” Will looked at him funnily, to which Allan replied, “I’m serious! I’ll sing at your wedding, if you two ever stop dancing around each other long enough for that to happen.”

At that moment, Sir Edward called for silence. After giving a speech about Marian and her many praiseworthy qualities, he commanded that the floor be cleared for dancing. “What’s a celebration without a dance?” he cried, to which everyone cheered.

Allan grinned and pushed himself away from the wall. “Well, I’m gonna go find myself a partner,” he announced as the band started a lively tune. “Take a chance, mate! Dance with her!”

As Allan wandered away to ply his charms, Robin came and stood next to Will. The carpenter groaned internally. He could see where this was going from the twinkle in his friend’s eye. “You’re going to dance with Djaq,” Robin told him. “That’s an order.”

“Well, I’m going to have to disobey,” Will snapped.

“Oh, I don’t think so,” Robin replied with a chuckle. “See, I’ve told Little John to take all your weapons and tools away if you don’t dance with her. You won’t be able to work or fight.”

“That’s practically a death sentence!” Will protested.

“Will Scarlet, if you and Djaq don’t confess your love for each other and do something about it soon, we will kill you ourselves out of frustration!” Robin cried exasperatedly.

“She doesn’t love me.”

Robin rolled his eyes, but Marian and Djaq approached arm in arm. Robin’s face lit up and he said, “Take care of Djaq please, Will. I would like to dance with Lady Marian, if she is agreeable.”

Marian smiled and stepped towards Robin. “I do not need taking care of!” Djaq protested as they walked to the dance floor.

“Figure of speech!” Robin called over his shoulder.

She shook her head. “May I have a drink?” she requested, gesturing at his glass. “I am parched.”

He nodded and handed it over. His eyes roamed the room until he made contact with Little John. The look he received was menacing at best. _I have the worst friends._

Summoning his courage, he stammered, “May I have this dance, my Lady Safiyah? It would be an honor.”

She blushed as brightly as he did. “The honor would be mine.”

They went to the dance floor and found their places amongst the skipping, twirling people. When they found their rhythm, they both relaxed slightly. Djaq’s smile grew and Will felt the tension leave him. Robin caught his gaze and smiled at him with a nod, but Will was not even thinking about the threat as he watched Djaq dance, laughing happily. Her cheeks were pink, her eyes sparkled, and her twirling skirts made him think of a flower come to life, though he kept this to himself.

The band switched suddenly to a slower song, throwing everyone off. This was not a tune meant for happy celebration, but for love and affection. Will looked at Djaq, fearful she would step away and end their time together, but she held out her hand, which he accepted gratefully. He pulled her close and they began to sway and move in time to the music. “Tonight is a happy night,” Djaq said quietly. “I’d rather it didn’t end.”

Will squeezed her tightly in agreement as he looked around the room. Much had reunited with Eve and was holding her close. Robin and Marian were lost in their own world. Even Allan was dancing with someone, a pretty woman with blonde hair. Will later learned her name was Kate and that she was more than just a passing fling to Allan. Little John was nowhere to be seen, and Will felt great pity for his friend, who could not be with the woman he loved.

“May I cut in?” a young man asked, tapping Will on the shoulder.

Will sighed, prepared to relinquish his hold, when Djaq tightened hers. “No,” she said firmly. The other man nodded and moved away.

Will smiled at his comrade. “You are beautiful tonight. Well, every night, but especially tonight. I mean-”

She shushed him gently. “Thank you,” she whispered softly.

He nodded and danced with her the rest of the night.


	20. Day 20: Cooking

“Are you really terrible at cooking, Djaq?” Much asked her one day. It was just her, Much, and Will at camp, as the others were still making deliveries.

“Sorry, Much,” she replied.

“Will?” the servant asked hopefully.

“I can try, but I never really learned,” he answered.

“Agh!” Much yelled in frustration. “Why is it too much to ask for a little help around here?” He stormed away.

Djaq and Will looked at each other in surprise. With a shrug, Will set aside his project and grabbed a kitchen knife. Pulling out a bunch of vegetables, he sat down and began chopping. “I can probably help with that,” Djaq said, joining him in his work. He smiled like it was the best thing he had heard all day, so Djaq decided to help as much as she could.

When they had finished cutting everything into pieces, they looked at the pile. “Now what?” Will asked.

“Don’t ask me!” They thought in silence for a time. “We could try a stew…,” she said hesitantly.

“Mum used to make stew a lot when we were little,” said Will. “I think it should be easy enough. You just dump everything in a pot and some spices and let it sit.”

“What spices?”

He shrugged. They put water in the pot to boil, and then raided Much’s spices. They guessed what to put in and how much to add. “This is fun,” Djaq said, dumping in a bit of who-knows-what.

Will grinned at her, and her heart fluttered. “Yeah, it is,” he said, staring at her as he poured in some powder.

“How do you think it will taste?” she asked, throwing in a handful of some dried herb.

“Probably amazing,” he replied, adding another unknown ingredient.

She turned to reply, but the words died on her lips as she found herself standing closer to him than she had realized. Looking up at him, she lost herself in that intense, burning stare of his. _I should tell him,_ she decided. “Will….”

“Yes, Djaq?”

“I-”

“What are you doing in my kitchen?” Much exclaimed as he ran up to them.

Startled, Djaq took a step back, and Will did the same. “We were helping you cook!” she explained quickly. “We made a stew.”

“Really? Why would you do that?”

“You’re always complaining about having to do it all. We were just trying to help,” Will answered.

“Oh. Well, thank you,” said Much, looking pleased. “Let’s see how it tastes.” He grabbed a spoon, stirred it, and took a sip. His face made an interesting set of contortions as he ran and spat it all over the forest floor. “Get out!” he yelled. “And never let me see you in my kitchen again!”

The two friends laughed and went to the forest, leaving Much to fix their mistakes and grumble. “Maybe not so amazing then,” Will said.


	21. Day 21: In Battle Side by Side

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I've been slow to update. School has kept me way too busy. I'll try to do better, promise!

“Why is nothing ever simple?” groaned Much as he unsheathed his sword. “Just once, I’d like to break into the castle, steal the money, and get out without almost getting caught, tortured, and killed!”

A squad o guards was chasing them into the forest. They had tried to disappear, but they were being followed too closely. Will stood next to Djaq and readied his axe. Her sword was unsheathed and she looked ready to fight, but Will felt an extreme sense of protectiveness swell inside him. “Any chance you wanna sit this one out?” he mumbled to her. “We could draw them off if you wanted to make a run or it.”

She looked truly offended. “Not a chance!”

The guards were upon them then. Will tensed and prepared to fight, vowing to protect Djaq at all costs. A guard swung at him as he charged through the trees, and Will dodged the blow, spinning and hitting his opponent in the back. The man fell and Will kicked him in the side, hoping he would stay down on the ground. Another guard attacked, and he punched the man in the face as much as the helmet allowed. It stunned the man enough that Will had a chance to knock his legs out from under him and put a boot in his face.

He looked at Djaq, hoping she was all right. She was dancing around another guard, sword at the ready. Another man was coming up behind her. Will ran up and hit the sneaking man in the head with his weapon as hard as he could. “Stay away from her,” he growled to the fallen soldier.

Djaq was now fighting the man who had been approaching her. Her speed and small size made her a hard target to hit, for which Will was incredibly grateful. To his ear, Djaq slipped on the leaves and fell. The man bore down on her. Without thinking, Will jumped in front of her to defend her. He received a deep cut on his leg for his troubles, but he hardly noticed. He turned around, but Djaq was already up and fighting, her back to his. He smiled and went back to his own battle, happy to have a good ally and strong fighter at his back.

It felt like there were no end of guards. _Where does the Sheriff get all these men?_ Will wondered, knocking another man to the ground. Suddenly, a kick to his injured leg made him kneel. The pan was more than he expected, leaving him to believe it was deeper than he had thought. With a cry, Djaq was beside him, defending him as he recovered and pulled himself back to his feet. _Thank God, I have some of the most capable friends in the world,_ he thought as one man’s arm sprouted arrows before he could strike Djaq, courtesy of Robin. Djaq knocked the man down and parried the blow from another, whom Will then bashed in the head. _Especially her._


	22. Day 22: Arguing

Djaq was fuming as she stitched up Will’s leg. She worked in silence, only acknowledging those who tried to talk to her with a glare, as well as occasionally glaring at the patient himself. When she had finished putting her friend back together, she grabbed him by the ear and dragged him away from the camp, ignoring the protests from those around her. “What’s wrong?” Will yelled at her finally.

“Why do you betray me?” she screamed, angry and hurt.

If she was not so furious, his adorably baffled expression would have made her swoon and giggle. “What are you talking about?” he cried. “I would never betray you.”

“I thought I could trust you! I let you see the part of me that is still Safiyah. I thought it wouldn’t change how you saw me, that you’d still treat me as Djaq!”

“I do!”

She shook her head, tears starting to rise. “No, you don’t! You asked me to sit out of that fight, and then you got that,” she slapped his leg, causing him to wince and favor the injury, “by jumping in to protect me. You men are all the same. To you, a woman is worth nothing more than a warm bed and a good meal.”

“Now hold on!” Will snapped. “That’s hardly fair. Marian’s a girl and my friend, and you don’t see us men treating her like that! And I don’t treat you like that! I know you can’t cook, and the **only** time I used you for a warm bed was so that you didn’t **die**! You’re still Djaq to me! Why can’t I want to protect you?”

“I don’t need protecting!” she yelled. “I can handle myself just fine! You’re the one who got yourself injured.”

“Yeah, trying to make sure you were safe! Just because you don’t need protecting doesn’t mean I can’t want to, and wanting to do so doesn’t mean I don’t think you can fight. I was grateful when you came and covered or me because I had a friend who could fight and watch my back.”

“Then why would you want to protect me?”

Will fell silent. He took a deep breath and started to talk, then changed his mind. “Forget it,” he answered finally.

“No, tell me!” Djaq insisted. “If not because I am female, then why?”

He groaned and ran his hands through his hair. “Why is that all you ever say? The reason people do things you don’t like or treat you a certain way is always because you’re a woman. What if that’s not the case? What if it’s something else?”

“Then tell me!”

Will shook his head and walked away. “You’d never listen,” she heard him mumble.

Little John passed him and came to talk to Djaq. “Walk with me,” the big man ordered.


	23. Day 23: Making Up Afterwards

Will walked to where Djaq was sitting, her feet dangling over the edge of a cliff. “I’m sorry, I’m sure you’d rather be alone, but when Little John got back, Robin said if I didn’t come talk to you and sort things out, he’d make me walk through the trap and, in his words, leave my cowardly arse in the tree all night.”

She chuckled a little, which made him feel slightly better. “You are not cowardly, Will Scarlet. And if it makes you better, John said if I didn’t talk to you, he’d time me up to a tree until I did.”

“Knowing them, it’d probably be the same tree,” he commented with a laugh.

Djaq giggled at that. “I am sorry I got so mad at you,” she said as he sat next to her. “But you got hurt when you shouldn’t have because you were helping me, and I was already upset you wanted me to run away.”

“It’s ok. I shouldn’t have told you to run. And I know it’s hard to be the only girl living with a bunch of men. I promise that’s not why I suggested it though.” He steeled himself to answer what he knew her next question would be.

“Then why?” she asked him softly. “I do not understand. You didn’t tell anyone else to flee. I was the only you one you took a wound for. Why me?”

“I….” This was harder than he thought. “Look, it is because you’re a woman, but not for the reason you think. I…I… remember when you told me about your uncle’s friend who works with pigeons?” she looked at him strangely, but nodded. “Those birds will fly thousands of miles to be with their mate. And… and that’s how I feel about you.” He looked away.

“You love me?” she whispered, sounding surprised and curious, but not angry as he had anticipated.

“More than anything,” he said fiercely. Now that the words were out, they would not be stopped. “I love you when you’re being playful and silly, joiking around with us and making our jobs more pleasant. I love learning from you, how smart you are and how you know so much. I love how you can people back together as easily as you can take them apart. I love that you wanted to learn from me, that your physician hands are a little rougher because of the new callouses. I love how much you care about people, so much that you chose to fight a battle that wasn’t yours. I love it when you let yourself be Safiyah that I get to see the gentle woman, as well as the fierce soldier. And I love the way you say what you mean. I love your silly voice-”

“Silly voice?” she exclaimed.

He laughed a little, but kept talking before he lost courage. “And I love the way you fight, like a man, ferocious. And the way you will always, always be a woman.”

Of all the reactions he was expecting, her flinging herself atop him was not one. “I love you too, Will! I’m sorry. I should have said earlier. You, Will Scarlett, are strong, and true, and you fight for what you believe in. And that is why I love you. And I love working beside you, how happy you look when I make something right and how excited you are when you get something I’ve taught you. I love your heart for others and for justice, and how you left the happiness you could have had with your father and brother in Scarborough to fight for them. I love that you let me be a woman and remember more than anyone else that I am one. I love how you are so quiet people tend to forget you’re there, but it’s because you’d rather think and listen than talk. I love the silly face you make sometimes when you are concentrating on your work and forget there’s people around you. And I love that though you are one of our most serious friends, you can still have fun. You’re amazing, Will Scarlet.”

He was blushing furiously by the end of her speech. He shifted so they were no longer at the cliff’s edge and laid down, pulling her to lie on top of him so he could easily hold her close as they talked. “I always thought you would see me as no more than one of the lads, a brother at most. Why didn’t you say anything before?”

“I figured you would do what Allan and Much have done, find a pretty girl from Nottingham who will wait until the King returns and then build your home with her.”

Will smiled and softly rubbed her back. “I’d rather build my home with woman I fought alongside, even if it means having a wife who can’t cook.”

She laughed and kissed his cheek. He squeezed her tighter. “How long?” she asked.

“Since I first met you,” he admitted, “but I don’t think I really, fully realized it until the day you took me to all the villages and introduced me to Jeffrey and the other boys.”

They continued to talk like this for some time, quietly sharing memories and answering one another’s questions, connecting the dots and filling in the missing bits of their personal love story. Eventually, they walked back to camp. Looking at their joined hands, Robin asked, “All good?”

Will and Djaq smiled at each other. “All good.”


	24. Day 24: Gazing Into Each Other's Eyes

Djaq sat across from Will, sharpening her sword. Though they avoided killing, she hated the thought of a dull blade in her hands. It would have been a quiet and peaceful day, except Allan had once again offended Much, who had returned the favor, leaving the two of them and everyone else to suffer. Feeling the tightness building in her muscles from sitting in one position for too long, Djaq set down her weapon and stretched. The motion caused Will to look up from where he was making arrows. 

She resisted the urge to laugh, smothering it with a smile. Will had feathers sticking out of his mouth, as well as one or two in his hair. The sight was adorable and endearing, and it reminded her of the tender sweetness he chose not to display to the world. She looked to his eyes, and though his facial expression had not changed, he could see his love for her reflected there. It was thrilling to be able to lose herself in those green eyes, staring into their depths. Since the afternoon on the cliff’s edge, they had both let their guards fall and allowed themselves to enjoy what they had previously strove to avoid for fear of rejection.

She jerked and blinked suddenly as a hand waved in her field of vision, cutting off her thoughts and her visual contact with Will. “Allan!” she complained, smacking his leg lightly with the flat of her blade.

He laughed. “I called you three times to get your attention. It’s not my fault you were ignoring me to stare into our handsome young carpenter’s eyes, lost in the seas of love,” he said in an overly dramatic voice.

Will, who was now looking resolutely down and blushing, commented, “That’s awfully poetic for you.”

“Like it? I’ve been trying to talk more like that for Kate. Ladies love it when you give them poetry. It was rather good, wasn’t it?”

Djaq rolled her eyes. “Not at all. Keep trying, Allan-a-Dale.”

He walked away, muttering lines of poetry to himself. After that, Djaq tried to pay closer attention to her surroundings, but every few minutes, her gaze would rise to meet Will’s with a happy smile.


	25. Day 25: Getting Married

_Will stood nervously at the front of the church, trying not to fidget. He knew he had no reason to be anxious- the King had returned, the Sheriff and Guy punished for their Crimes, Robin restored to his lordship, and the gang made free men. However, waiting there for his love, Will could not help but feel that something would go terribly wrong._

_At long last, she was walking down the aisle to him. Her beauty stole his breath away, and all he could do was stare. The pale gown that adorned her brought out her dark complexion and eyes, making her look more exotic than usual, and the fine jewelry Marian had given her for the occasion complimented her beautifully._

_He was so enchanted with her that he could hardly remember to stammer what the priest made him repeat, and the words “I do” had never been harder to say, but he managed. At long last, he was leaned forward to kiss her…_

… and woke up. So that’s what had to go horribly wrong- it had only been a dream. He groaned quietly to himself and rolled over to look at her as she slept on peacefully. _Would she be willing to marry me when all is said and done?_ he wondered. He did not doubt her love, but he sometimes worried that she would leave him and return to her homeland when the fight here was finished.

As no one was awake yet, Will decided to sleep a little longer. If God was smiling at him today, maybe he would be able to finish his dream. If nothing else, at least it had given him ideas for the future.


	26. Day 26: On One Of Their Birthdays

Djaq walked with Marian and Kate, who had now joined them in living in the forest. It was nice to live amongst more women, though she loved the boys with all her heart. They had also been joined by Eve, Much’s love, when the Sheriff had decided to make her life difficult, and Brother Tuck, who had helped guide and direct their attacks and moves to be more strategic and purposeful. He helped provide not only moral support, but a renewed vision of what they were trying to accomplish.

The three girls were walking to forage and talk, to have some girl time without the men around. It had been Kate’s idea, but Djaq was happy to go along. She needed more herbs for her medicines. It was also her birthday, but she was fine with having it pass unacknowledged. It was for that reason she had not told anyone but Marian, who had insisted on knowing. The sun was shining, she and her friends were not under attack, and they had the day mostly to themselves to rest and relax around the camp. That was good enough for her. 

The sound of someone crashing through the underbrush gave them pause. “Djaq!” Much’s voice called. He burst into view, yelling, “Djaq, come quick, we need you!”

She ran towards the camp as fast as she could, the others following. _Will, please be ok. Allah, God, whoever is listening, please keep my friends safe!_ She pulled the lever that uncovered where the camp was hidden. Her heart leapt in both joy and surprise when her friends shouted, “Surprise!”

Djaq turned and shoved Much, who had just caught up. “Ow! What was that for?”

“You made me think there was trouble,” she grumbled.

“Hey, you made that assumption yourself. I just said we needed you quick, and we did. If you took too long, the roast pig would get cold,” he protested.

She shook her head and helped him to his feet while the others laughed. “How did you know?” she asked.

Will came up and slipped an arm around her waist. “You told Marian, who told Robin, who told me.”

Djaq glared at him. “Did you ask her to find out?”

“Maybe,” he admitted.

“You spy on me,” she whispered affectionately before kissing a blushing cheek.

He grinned and squeezed her a little tighter. They joined their friends, where Eve was serving pig and stew to everyone. She sat next to Allan, and they were soon joined by Kate. “Happy birthday,” the blonde said cheerfully. “Were you surprised?”

“Yes, I was.”

“Good, that was the idea. I had no idea what I’d do if you said you didn’t wanna go for a walk.”

“I’m afraid we don’t really have anything in the way of gifts, but I hope you like your surprise,” Robin said as he sat across from them. “Sorry it’s not much.”

“This is fine,” she insisted. “It’s more than enough.”

“Glad to hear it.” They all sat and talked for a while. Djaq was happy. Even though she had planned to spend the day in her usual manner, this was nice. They had not had time to sit and spend time as a family in a long while, not since Prince John had moved to Nottingham to get away from King Richard’s supporters, causing Guy and the Sheriff to work even harder to impress him, making everyone else’s life hell.

“Wanna go for a walk?” Will offered when conversation had died and the food had been consumed. She nodded and they set off into the woods. Will caught Djaq’s hand, making her smile. They refrained from being overly affectionate in front of their friends, so she enjoyed these moments of privacy, just the two of them alone in the woods. “I got you a present,” he said after a time. 

“You didn’t need to do that. Knowing you were safe after Much’s scare is enough.”

He shook his head. “Nothing is enough for you.” She blushed. From his pocket, he pulled a fine silver chain and handed it to her. “You always stick to practical, necessary things. I wanted to give you something you want.”

She took the necklace and put it on, smiling. “Thank you, Will.” She noticed he looked hesitant. “What is it?”

“Well…look, I know right now everything is uncertain – whether we’ll live or not, whether the King will return or if Prince John will take over, but…I know that I love you. I’m certain of that. Some days, when things are really hard, I rely on…on us to get me through. And I was thinking about how I don’t know your plans for the future, assuming we live long enough to have one, so I just wanted to ask….” He pulled out a simple wooden ring he had obviously carved. It was engraved with flowers, vines, and leaves. He held it out to her. “I’m not asking you to make up your mind here and now about marrying me, but I was hoping you would be willing to consider it.”

She accepted the ring and turned it over in her hands, thinking. Will waited patiently, only the way he couldn’t meet her eyes belying his nervousness. “What if I know the answer now?” she asked. “Would you like to hear it?”

“Only if you’re sure about it.”

“I am. I would be honored to marry you, Will scarlet,” she said decisively, slipping the ring onto her finger.

Will looked at her, eyes wide and smile taking over his face. “Really?”

“Really,” she confirmed, smiling back. “I love you, Will. There’s no one else I’d want to be with.”

He pulled her into a tight hug. “I love you too, Djaq. The honor is mine. It really is.” He kissed her passionately, which she happily returned. When he finally stopped for breath, he continued to shower her face with small, sweet kisses, saying, “I’m sorry…if I…had known…you’d…actually say yes…and consider it…a proposal…I would have…bought…you…a real ring.”

She shook her head a little. “No, I like this one better for many reasons.”

This led =to him kissing her even more before she could elaborate on them. When they finally stopped kissing each other, they settled on a fallen tree to talk. “Why do you like this better?” he asked, spinning it around her finger.

“It is more practical for running around the forest and fighting. It’s sturdier and won’t break as easy. If it is lost or stolen, you can replace it. It’s less like to be stolen. But most of all…it’s from you.”

His smile was radiant. They talked into the night until they finally walked back to camp, where Marian noticed the ring and made a big deal over the happy couple. As her friends gathered around with congratulations, hugs, and cheers, Djaq decided she couldn’t imagine a better birthday.


	27. Day 27: Doing Something Ridiculous

Will looked over at Djaq, who was listening to Much and Allan bicker with a smile on her face. It was good to see her smiling and happy again; things had been rough lately, and everyone’s spirits were a little dimmed. Even Much and Allan’s fighting was lacking in ire. They were too tired to put in the effort. He wanted to do something that would make everyone laugh, but he had no idea where to start.

_When was the time everyone seemed the happiest?_ he wondered. _I suppose it was Djaq’s first snow. We were all in a good mood and laughing and having fun. Too bad we can’t make it snow now. That would take the tension off. There was also the day we watched the play the kids put on… ugh, I’m out of ideas. I’ll talk to Djaq about it later._

That night at dinner, he told her about how he wanted to cheer up the gang. She agreed, and they were silent as they contemplated how to do it. “I know what to do!” she whispered excitedly. “I don’t know if it will cheer them up, necessarily, but it will distract them from everything that’s been going on.” In hushed tones, she told him her devious plan.

He grinned. “That’s ridiculous, Djaq! You’ll just make everyone mad at you.”

She shrugged. “Maybe. They might be laughing too hard to be mad. Help me set it up tomorrow?”

Will sighed. “Fine. You should be grateful I love you.”

She kissed his cheek. “I am. For many reasons.”

The next day, they got up early to prepare. He helped her mix the ingredients, working silently to try and avoid waking the others. They finished about the time people began climbing out of their bunks. “It’s bath day today!” Djaq declared.

A chorus of groans arose. “We bathed three months ago!” Allan grumbled.

“I agree with Djaq,” Marian said. “You guys stink!”

“Thank you,” said Djaq with a nod. “We’ll bathe after breakfast. I made up something that will help with the smell, so rub it into your hair real well and you’ll have longer before I make you bathe again.”

Everything went as expected. They grumbled but agreed to do it. Will took the potion and scrubbed it into his hair like everyone else, though he knew what was to come. He swam about, waiting for the inevitable shouts.

“What the hell, Much? I’m not bein’ funny, there’s something wrong with your hair!” Allan cried.

“My hair? Your hair’s gone purple! There’s nothing wrong with mine,” Much said defensively.

“Actually, your hair has turned blue, Much,” Tuck replied, causing the cook to splutter in indignation.

“What little hair you have is orange now, Tuck,” Robin commented. “John’s is green, and Will’s is red. What the hell happened?”

As if in answer to his question, they heard Marian yell, “Djaq!”

“The potion,” Tuck said. “It was in the potion.” He laughed loudly. “I’m sorry, but you lot look ridiculous!”

They looked at one another and could not help but laugh as well. It was hard to keep a straight when everyone looked so utterly ridiculous. Will watched as the mood eased and everyone let go of the tension. Robin laughed about his pink hair, the tips of which fell into his eyes, and Will knew it was the first genuine smile he had smiled in weeks. 

When they eventually regrouped, Will saw the cleverness in Djaq’s plan. Marian’s hair was pink, Kat’s purple, Eve’s blue, and Djaq’s was bright red, which he was certain matched his own. “I guess that removes any chance of you doing it on accident,” Robin told her with a shake of his head. “Dishes duty for you.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And you, Will. You knew, didn’t you? You weren’t surprised at all,” Robin said, turning to look at him.

“Guilty.”

“Laundry for you, then.”

“Yes, sir.” He did not mind.

“Oh, and those better come back the same color!” Robin called after him.

That night, Djaq met him to eat dinner together. “Sorry you got in trouble too.”

“It’s fine. It was worth it. Why’d you choose red for us?”

“It’s scarlet, silly!” she said. He blushed, embarrassed for not making the connection sooner. Djaq studied her reflection in the metal cup she held. “I kind of like being scarlet.”

“Someday, you will be. Always. Unless you changed your mind,” he added hesitantly.

Djaq wrapped her arms around him tightly. “Don’t be ridiculous.”


	28. Day 28: Doing Something Sweet

“You look lovely!” Marian exclaimed as she came into the room where Djaq was getting ready.

“You think so?” Djaq asked, twisting and turning to lo get a better look at herself.

“He’s not going to recognize you,” Kate said, straightening the dress. “You look too much like a girl. I didn’t even know you owned a dress!”

Djaq smiled. “I know you’re supposed to get married in white, but I liked this better.”

“It’s perfect,” Eve insisted. “Stop worrying.”

“Am I supposed to be this nervous?” Djaq asked Marian. “Were you? When you married Robin?”

Marian nodded. “Absolutely. Just try not to worry too much. It’s just gonna be us in the woods, not a big mess of people like mine and Robin’s was.”

“Thank goodness for that,” Djaq replied fervently.

The king had finally made it back to England to get things under control. The civil unrest had consequences that stretched even to the Holy Lands, so Richard had returned. The gang was pardoned, rewarded for its efforts, and Robin’s lordship restored. His first actions had been to make Much the Earl of Bonchurch again and marry Marian. He was also trying to figure out what to do with Guy. Gisbourne had helped them several times towards the end of the Sheriff’s rule out of spite for his sister, resentment for the way Prince John and the Sheriff were treating him, and a weird familial bond that formed between him and Robin when they learned they shared an illegitimate brother. However, Guy’s crimes were plentiful and could not go unpunished.

Today, however, Robin was taking a break from everything political. Today, he would be marrying Djaq and Will, who would be living in Locksley and practicing their trades. They wanted to stay as close to as many people as possible – after living with their friends for so long, it felt weird for them to be separated. They would be having the wedding at their old camp, just the gang and no one else.

When Djaq was ready and Eve, Kate, and Marian agreed that she looked perfect, they rode to Sherwood, where the men were already waiting. The others stood off to the side as Djaq walked to where Will was standing, dressed handsomely in scarlet clothing, for which Robin was probably to thank. She hardly noticed his outfit, however, because her eyes were transfixed on his face. He looked both overjoyed and completely stunned upon seeing her, and it made her feel on top of the world.

Robin said some words and they responded, but Djaq could not have recounted what was said if her life depended on it. Will was kissing her, her friends were cheering and throwing rice and flowers, and all Djaq could think about was how happy she was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end! I'm so sorry the last two chapters took forever to update. I wrote them, but I never got around to typing them up because of my crazy schedule, and then my family came to visit for the holidays. I am sooooo sorry! Also, I know this is only 28 instead of 30 days, but I am incapable of writing smut for day 30, and I didn't know what to do for one of the other days. Hope you enjoyed it!


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